Interesting Ways
by SavvySage
Summary: To live another life. A gift from the past cannot prepare Naruto for the future he must endure.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Naruto, Sailor moon or any of the ideas and concepts taken from the aforementioned sources. This story is written in no way for profit, merely the enjoyment of the author and those who would read his works. Please keep criticism constructive. If you do not like it then do not read it. Thanks. Please enjoy.

**Interesting Ways - Chapter One**

I felt it searing my body, a coruscating supernova of energy bound, at last, to my will. For my entire life I had been forced to battle and contain this raging ocean of pure unadulterated power and with the curse there had been consequences. Consequences that had seen those I loved and cared about, my precious people, suffer for my foolishness and lapses in control. No more! Here within the seal, placed upon me by my dying father on the day of my birth, I finally felt at peace with myself and my role as a jinchuuriki.

My mother, or at least a phantom imprint of her long deceased consciousness, gazed on proudly as I manipulated the pure elemental chakra, spiralling the gleaming golden energy into complicated patterns and constructs that had up until now eluded my control. With these patterns a few simple hand seals would launch an offensive barrage of techniques that few would be able to successfully withstand. The storming crushing presence that haunted me every day of my young life was noticeably absent, replaced with an almost insufferable obedience to my every whim. I had claimed my birthright at last. The chakra of the most powerful to all the tailed beasts, the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the nine-tailed demon fax, was mine to command.

"Naruto-kun"

I tore my eyes away from the dancing weaves of power an grinned widely at my mother's spirit, beaming at the undertone of approval in her voice. My grin evaporated however when I saw the tears in her eyes, reminding me of her plight. I swiftly released the chakra, intoxicating though it was, and struggled to think of something to say but the words just wouldn't come. We were together again and for the first time in my life I could reach out and hold my mother's hand, see her face and bask in her parental love and approval. But she could not stay. The thought that I had maybe just a few more minutes to get to know the mother I had never known twisted like a knife in the gut. Kushina Uzumaki had given her all to allow me to conquer my foe. Her own special chakra had restrained the fox and allowed me a few precious moments to regather my strength and formulate a plan of attack. Now, with her final task completed, that last piece of her soul that had been ingrained in my seal all those years ago was fading fast, going to rejoin her beloved in the afterlife.

"Mom", I began and then had to stop to choke back the tears. How do you say goodbye to the person you had yearned to know all your life. How could I let go knowing that there in front of me stood the family I had been so cruelly denied. It just wasn't fair.

"Naruto", she responded warmly and I knew that she knew and that was enough. Her form was visibly starting to waver now and as if aware her time was coming to an end she continued, "Naruto, I, well your father and I, have one final gift to give you before you go."

The calm, beautiful smile that had adorned my mother's face had shifted slightly and as she carelessly brushed back a lock of scarlet hair that had fallen across her eyes I realised with shock where I had seen that smile before. It was one that I often wore myself, a decidedly mischievous and foxy grin. As I stared at her open-mouthed she let loose a little giggle, undoubtably amused by the way my jaw was touching the floor, and resumed speaking.

"Naruto, your father, my Minato-kun, was one of the most talented ninja our world has ever seen, perhaps the greatest developer of jutsu since the Great Sage himself walked the earth. I am sure you learned in the academy that he specialised in the manipulation of time and space through the use of my help of course." At that last statement my mother stood in what I assumed she believed to be a heroic pose, chest puffed out with pride.

I recovered quickly from the sight of my mother's antics, time was of the essence after all and began to twiddle my thumbs nervously. I nodded hesitantly

" Well I didn't really pay much attention to all the lecture Iruka-sensei kept coming up with, most of them were really dull and all I wanted was to learn some cool moves at the time."

I suddenly began to sense the rise of motherly fury building up in the air and gulping out a yelp of terror quickly blurted out, "B-but Ero-sennin, I mean, Jiraiya-sensei taught me alot about dad although to be honest I didn't really know why at the really understand why at the time." I felt that tide of repressed fury recede a little and let loose a short sigh of relief. Mum could hit harder than Sakura-chan and was twice as scary when pissed. I saw mum school her features again as she matched my sigh with one of her own.

"You really have too much of your mother in you for your own good Naruto-kun.", she said, her exasperation obviously direct as much at herself as it was me, " That being said I believe you managed to get your father's perchance for jokes." Again she assumed the foxy grin. "Before he died your dad put together quite a masterful one to play on his future child."

I saw now that those tears that had been held in check so long in the corner's of her strong, violet eyes were now flowing freely down her pale cheeks. It must be so hard for her to even dream of the family that might of been. Mom, Dad, myself... maybe even a little brother, or sister, or both! It brought to mind what had been lost to so many families on that night when the Kyuubi had rampaged through the village I called home. An attack that may never have happened but for the harbored grudge of a crazed phantom from the past. I felt a searing pain in each fist and knew without looking that in my rage my nails had broken the skin of each palm and the swelling warmth indicated that I had drawn blood. My mother began to speak again, slowly and deliberately so I would catch every word, distracting me from my thoughts of what I would do if I ever caught that masked bastard.

"The idiot created an item one afternoon when I left him alone too long in his study, the result of an experiment with seals, my country's seals I might add, gone wrong. I believe he tried to combine one of the Whirlpool's guardian gate seals with the time space-altering effects of his own Hiraishin technique." Mom then shook her head as if exasperated with the foolishness of men all the while continuing with her tale. " Men and their toys! Anyway in doing so he created an item the likes of which he had never seen before, that the world had never seen before. He said it created a link to another world, just like ours but different or something..." My mother stopped her tale again and then pulled her long red locks and gazed off into the distance in frustration, letting out a small growl. I knew instantly that I would not want to be my dad right now if he had been alive. Could spirits hit each other in the afterlife I wondered? If so Dad then you had better be prepared for when mum catches up with you on the other side. "Damn you Minato!", I could hear her mutter before she once again looked me in the eye.

"Sorry Naruto-kun", she said as she gave me another of my own trade-marked grins, "your Dad was always the one to explain this stuff. I never had the patience for space-altering techniques myself. Besides the margin for error was way too small, One accident and I probably would have erased half the village by mistake with the Kyuubi's power at my disposal. Anyway this item, it takes you to a different place far from the Elemental Countries. And now is the time for you to use it as he always intended you to."

I gawked at her unable to comprehend what she was saying! How could I leave now, my village, my friends, my precious people! War had just been declared and I was without a doubt currently the strongest ninja my village had to field in the battle against Madara and his plans for world domination.

"Mum!" I croaked, my sapphire eyes wide with shock and my throat suddenly very dry. My stomach began to tumble uncomfortably and I resisted the urge to throw up as a wave of nausea hit me. Before my eyes, even as she was fading away into nothingness, my mother's hands were blurring, twisting into complex handseals so fast it was all my eyes could do to distinguish what they were.

Desperate now I tried to launch myself at her, to make her stop but my feet were rooted to the ground. I felt my energy draining away.

"No!", I cried "I can't leave! Sakura-chan! Kakashi-sensei! Yamato-sensei! Sai! Obachan! They need me! Konoha needs me!" I felt my breath leave my lungs like I had been socked in the gut and realised as my mother's arms wrapped themselves around me one last time that it was too late.

The warmth in her hug left me speechless and I could feel her salty tears on my neck as she wept uncontrollably. Her voice was echoing as if from a distance as she sobbed and I knew then that whatever she had done, she had done for the best. There was no need for words. The last thing I heard before she faded completely and the world turned white was:

"Don't worry. It will be as if you never left."

The ambulance pelted through the crowded highway, cars moving aside for it as it approached. Himiko stared through the rain that was smacking itself against her windshield and let loose a gasp of relief as the neon sign of the local hospital came into view at the next exit. She risked a quick glance backwards to check on Yoshiro and Maki, her paramedics and their charge. The blond haired boy, looked worse for wear, his orange and black tracksuit torn and grimy. The girl who had found him sat beside him, drenched from standing in the rain as she applied basic first aid, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. The boy seemed stable now but the bruises they had discovered on his body indicated that he might have been involved in some kind of gang related incident. Surely that headband of his was a gang symbol if ever she saw one. Maybe he come from a good family and was too young to get a tattoo and had compromised somehow with his boss. The girl, a student at the local high school had been on her way home when she found him and had wanted to stay with him till they got to hospital. Apparently her mother was a doctor there so it was no real inconvenience.

Upon their arrival the boy was rushed into the accident and emergency ward and the girl went with him. Himiko had taken her aside before she did so however and thanked her for her help. Not many students would have been able to keep as cool a head in a crised, she told her, and her dedication to her patient was a credit to both her and her mother. The girl had smiled shyly at the compliment, bowed respectfully and had ducked after her charge. Himiko smiled.

"You're going to make one heck of a doctor someday Miss Mizuno", she said, to no-one in particular.

The radio blared with another request for aide and Himiko sighed, entering her vehicle swiftly. With a nod to her colleages as they too clambered in, the ambulance took to the road again, off into the night. Little did they know that they had changed the shape of things to come in so many interesting ways.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Naruto, Sailor moon or any of the ideas and concepts taken from the aforementioned sources. This story is written in no way for profit, merely the enjoyment of the author and those who would read his works. Please keep criticism constructive. If you do not like it then do not read it. Thanks. Please enjoy.

Author's Note:

Kingdom219: Thanks for your comments and your expressed interest in the story.

**Interesting Ways: Chapter 2**

Naruto Uzumaki, the savior of Konoha and the number one unpredictable ninja to ever grace the Elemental Countries shifted uncomfortably in his sleep. The unwelcome antiseptic scent that permeated all medical wards throughout the known multiverse an affront to his heightened senses. The insistent beeps and whirs of the miscellaneous pieces of medical equipment surrounding him made his ears twitch irritably.

He had just finished his fiftieth bowl and was gleefully watching his next course materialise before him when the voices began. Softly at first and easily ignorable in favor of his stomach, the voices proceeded to grate on his nerves as they grew in volume and intensity. His surroundings, so reminiscent of Old Man Ichiraku's before Pain's devastating attack, began to fade as did his latest meal. Naruto felt a scream of frustration building in him as he realised that this paradise was merely a figment of his slumbering imagination and let loose with the mournful cry as he was forcibly dragged back to consciousness.

* * *

"I don't care whether you found him Ami-chan, there's no reason for you to remain here any longer. Go home."

Dr. Saeko Mizuno glared at her only daughter with a mixture pride and anger. Usually Ami was compliant and respectful of her mother's wishes, like the dutiful daughter she undoubtedly was, but not this time. Ami was glaring back at her just as fiercely, showing none of her characteristic meekness. The fool girl had gotten it into her head that the boy was as much her patient as her mothers and was refusing to leave the ward. Normally Saeko would have applauded Ami's commitment but this time her protective instincts were coming to the fore and she wanted Ami as far from the boy slumbering fitfully in the next room as possible.

"Mother I... " Ami began but her protests faded when she saw Dr. Mizuno raise her hand to stop her daughter from continuing any further and caught a glimpse of the fear in her mother's eyes. Silently she waited for her mother to continue. Removing her glasses, slowly, deliberately, Dr. Mizuno cleaned them roughly with the edge of her white coat and averted her eyes from her daughters, staring at the floor instead and thinking back to when the boy had first been dragged in to the emergency room. Thinking how best to tell her daughter what she needed to hear. Taking a deep breath she began to speak, keeping her voice low so that her daughter could just barely catch her words.

"When the boy you rescued was brought to me I felt just as you do now Ami. That he was some poor young man who had been beaten up and robbed, left to the mercy of the next person to wander along. Do you know what we found when we changed his clothes and began to search for identification Ami?"

At this point Dr. Mizuno replaced her glasses and reached into the pocket of her coat. What she withdrew made Ami gasp in shock.

The dagger or kunai as it was better known was a sharp, sleek instrument of death and it shone unnaturally in her mother's healing hands. The piece was slightly worn and had obviously seen a lot of use, despite being of the highest quality. As usual the analytical side of Ami's personality kicked itself into overdrive, listing of facts and making observations as to craftsmanship and possible applications for the tool. It also concluded that such skill at metalwork as shown in the esoteric piece was very unusual in modern Japan. The conscious part of her mind was still fixated on her mother as she continued.

"Not just one either Ami-chan. The boy had an entire pouch full of theml. He even carried one spring-loaded on his wrist. Along with the scars on his face and the hideous tattoo we found on his torso both the Director and I believe he belongs to a gang of some kind. As we speak he is contacting the police and we intend to have at least one officer present for when he wakes up."

This time there were tears in her mother's eyes Ami saw with shock.

"I'm afraid of you being near him Ami! What if he gets violent and gets hold of you! I would never be able to forgive myself. Please just go..."

"But Mother I...!"

"Go Ami"

"Hey! Hey! What the hell happened to my pants!"

* * *

Both mother and daughter stopped their standoff as a third voice joined theirs in the hallway. Both turned just in time to catch a glimpse of Naruto Uzumaki, savior of Konoha and the number one unpredictable ninja, in all his glory, as he threw open the door to the hall.

To say that Naruto was not his usual happy go luck self would have been an understatement. He had just finished defeating one of the greatest foes he had ever faced, conquered his own inner-demons, had been reunited with his mother and then awoken to find himself in some kind of hospital. He was surprised with the level of sophistication Killerbee's island had in the way of medical facilities, but then the memories of his mother's last actions returned to him. Slowly he checked himself over. Everything seemed to be in order as he leaped from his bed and pulled the I.V. needles from his arm with practised precision. Carelessly he ripped the remaining wires from his body. That was when he realised three things. Firstly unplugging himself from the machine had the unforeseen consequences of causing every piece of machinery about him to scream furiously for attention. Secondly, around his neck he now work a simple golden locket on a silver chain which had definitely not been there before his visit to the seal. Finally he was experiencing an uncomfortable, cool circulation of air around his nether regions. Calmly he took several deep breaths ans smiled before his face suddenly adopted a horrified expression and he screamed at the top of his lungs while lunging for the door.

"Hey! Hey! What the hell happened to my pants!"

* * *

Dr Mizuno froze, and felt her daughter do the same, as the topic of their conversation took it upon himself took it upon himself to thrust himself, quite literally, into the center of their argument. He stood silhouetted in the door frame, holding the doors ajar with little effort despite their sturdy fireproof construction. She took a moment to glance over at her daughter and was surprised to see that her cheeks were scarlet and her eyes sparkling.

She sighed. Leave it to Ami to discover her hormones in the middle of what could well turn out to be a crisis.

Determined she shifted in front of her only child. Face scowling and determined to shield her from harm.

* * *

"Beautiful"

The thought echoed through Ami's mind as she stared at the boy who would from that day forth replace any and all as the main focus for her nighttime fantasies.

He was around 5'6 with shaggy golden hair that just reached his neckline and fell messily into his crystal blue eyes. Those eyes which, though tainted at this moment with apparent annoyance, seemed to dance and sparkle with hidden mischief and a profound lust for life. His jawline was firm, if not chiseled and his skin was a healthy tan color, only marred by three whisker-like scars running along the side of each cheek. Instead of detracting from his allure the scars only seemed to enhance it for the blue-haired girl. They gave him an air of the feral that sparked something primordial in her libido. She couldn't help but let her eyes roam further. Muscled arms and biceps, not large like a body-builder's... more like an Olympic gymnasts, with a powerful chest and (oh kami-sama yes!) a perfectly formed six-pack. Feeling her face flush but unable to stop herself she lowered her gaze her even further to feast her eyes upon... the back of her mother's white coat.

Ami shook her head and held her hand to her heated cheeks. For good measure she dropped her gaze to the floor. Only now was her formidable intellect able to pierce the warm hazy fog that had been clouding her mind.

'Where did those thoughts come from?' she thought, somewhat ashamed by her reaction to a boy.

'I hardly know anything about him. In fact this is the first time I've seen him conscious. He coulld be in a gang like mother says or a criminal. He could even be the Sailor Scouts next enemy for all I know and yet I couldn't take my eyes off him.' At this point Ami's thoughts returned to the body still shielded from her view. 'I mean he is certainly good looking but its all just a chemical reaction produced by the brain to induce an attraction to a suitable mating partner. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing that body again though... or running my fingers through that lovely blond hair... I wonder if it's as soft as it looks?'

* * *

Naruto felt the blood pounding in his ears as he fled back into the room that he had stormed from not seconds before. Upset, he had just plowed on forwards same as he had always done, tearing ahead and damn the consequences. Actions which had led to him flashing the first two inhabitants of this world he'd come across. Correction, the first two 'female' inhabitants of this world he'd come across. The younger girl had been about his own age and astoundingly pretty in a demure, Hinata-like fashion and the elder... Naruto winced when he thought back to the look on the older woman's face, The look had struck a chord in Naruto's soul and although he had accepted his darker nature and the hurtful memories it harbored of his childhood... it still pained him to see others look at him so. As if he were dangerous... a monster. He'd seen the way she had interposed herself between herself and her companion. Well, he would just have to prove to her, like all the other adults he had encountered growing up, the Naruto Uzumaki was a good person, a protector and more importantly... not a super-pervert like Ero-sennin.

"Are you decent?"

The words floated through the once again closed doors, the voice soft yet firm. 'Just like Iruka-sensei's voice', he thought wistfully. Grabbing the blanket from his bed and wrapping it around him like a towel he took a moment to make himself look semi-presentable, all the while marvelling that he could understand the words of his supposed hosts. It seemed that they spoke the universal language of the elemental countries as their native tounge.

'Maybe I'm not as far away from home as Mom made me think'

"Umm y-yeah!", he stuttered weakly, " Yeah y-you can come in now."

A round of hissing now seemed to ensue but Naruto only captured the odd word, "stay" and "safety", before the older woman entered leaving her younger companion outside. She had light-blue hair, the same as her friend, and Naruto guessed she was in her late thirties by the few streaks of grey visible in her hair. That didn't stop her from keeping a voluptuous and youthful figure though and the civilian garb she wore, a grey skirt and dark yellow blouse, it suited her well. Even without the long white lab coat it was obvious that she was a medic of some kind. She put out the same air of care and competence as Tsunade-obachan and Sakura-chan did when they were doing their hospital rounds. She cleared her throat and he blushed as she gave him another piercing look.

"Now, before I begin, I believe that some introductions are in order Mr...?", she held out a hand to indicate that at this point his input was required.

"U-Uzumaki! Naruto Uzumaki"

"Mr Uzumaki. My name is Dr. Mizuno and the child you met in the hallway is my daughter, Ami. She's the reason that you are here right now, not face down in a puddle somewhere"

Naruto nodded and filed away that piece of information, muttering obscenities under his breath as he did so. Mizuno was not a name he was familiar with, either within Konoha or without. Also the level of technology here far in advance of even the most wondrous items produced by Snow Country. Unfortunately, his mother's description for this place, 'another world', was looking more and more likely by the second. Dr. Mizuno, unaware of his mental anguish, continued.

"When you were brought to the hospital you were found with no identification, money or any indication of your place of residence. Your clothes were torn up and in some places bloody and, this is the part where I have to ask you a few serious questions Mr. Uzumaki, you had a pack filled with these daggers...", she held up one of his kunai for his inspection, "...strapped to your leg."

Naruto eyed his own blade openly, surprise and a bit of confusion washing over his features. They had found his kunai, so what! As a ninja he was entitled to carry arms at all times. In fact he was surprised they hadn't opened his weapon scrolls by now. That was where he kept the really had hitting stuff. Before he could comment however Dr. Mizuno continued, waving a hand as if to brush of his non-existent protests.

"These are weapons Mr. Uzumaki, not toys. Neither are they training props. All seem to be well used and cared for. As you know it is forbidden to carry lethal weapons in Japan and has been for as long as I can remember. So I must ask you... are you in anyway involved in criminal activities? Do you have a license you can show me as proof of your right to carry these blades?"

Naruto paled as this... Japan's... customs seemed to be damning him over and over again. Silence reigned as Dr. Mizuno seemed to take this as a negative answer to both her questions and shook her head sadly. While he had no doubts that he could escape this facility with ease (after all only the most powerful ninja could keep up with him now), he really didn't want to hurt anybody and as his first point of contact with anyone in this world he truly wanted to make a good impression upon his hosts. The fear he had seen in her eyes... he had vowed to prove to everyone he was not someone to be feared, even if they were strangers. He could feel the kindness in this woman's soul, the last traces of the Kyuubi's chakra seemed to be boosting his chakra-senses, creating a sort of faint empathic link with those around him (which was something else to be looked into in the near future). Both she and her daughter were pure creatures and he felt comforted by their presence in this strange world. As he saw the doctor reach into the pocket of her coat Naruto took what was sure to be one of the most desperate gambles of his entire life.

"Umm Dr. Mizuno..."

* * *

Ami waited restlessly outside the door, the only barrier between her and the answers she sought. Something was off about the boy. He was handsome, yes, but there was more to it than that. He gave off a feeling of confidence and peace that even Usagi-chan would have been hard-pressed to equal. It called to something deep within her soul. All the way to the hospital, Ami had been amazed by the lack of nervousness she felt around him. He may have been unconscious but normally even the most innocent contact with the opposite gender caused her to feel awkward and uncomfortable. Ami was an intelligent and calculating young girl. That which could not be rationally categorised or studied made her feel out of her depth, not something Ami, number one student in the whole of Japan, was used to feeling. Not so with this boy. Around him Ami just knew that it didn't matter. So lost in thought was she that she almost didn't hear her communicator watch go off. Suddenly all business, Ami shoved her thoughts off to the side for another time. Flipping up the display Ami was startled to see the bruised and scuffed visage of Sailor Venus, her usually gorgeous blond hair all tangled and in disarray.

"Guys I really need you here. There's some kind of youma attack going on downtown near the mall."

At this Venus made a face at something off camera and the display shook even as her voice was picked up by the device's microphone.

"Crescent Beam!"

A flash of light obscured the screen. Once more a panting Venus came into view.

"The Mall guys! Get here quickly!"

The display went black. Cursing slightly Ami spared a look over her shoulder at the door once more then sped for the elevator. It took her exactly three minutes for her to escape the confines of the Hospital and a further two to find a suitable spot to transform. One dazzling light show later and Sailor Mercury leapt from the shadows to the route of the nearest building, off into the night.

* * *

Saeko felt slightly queasy as she saw the look on the Naruto boy's face. It was as she had feared. He had made no objections to owning the weapons and had made no effort to persuade her of his innocence. She may have been a doctor but in this instance the safety of all her patients outweighed the bindings of doctor/patient confidentiality. She was reaching for her cellphone to call security, and then the police, when the boy seemed to finally find his tongue.

"Umm Dr. Mizuno, what do you know about ninjas?"


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Naruto, Sailor moon or any of the ideas and concepts taken from the aforementioned sources. This story is written in no way for profit, merely the enjoyment of the author and those who would read his works. Please keep criticism constructive. If you do not like it then do not read it. Thanks. Please enjoy.

**Interesting Ways: Chapter 3**

* * *

When Ami arrived on the scene she could tell at first glance that things were not going well. Since Sailor Scouts had ascended to their Eternal forms and defeated the forces of Galaxia the threats they had encountered had been minor at best. There were, from time to time, the odd youma to be dealt with (stragglers from the previous advances of their defeated foes) but in their most powerful forms most conflicts were brief and never required more than one or two senshi on the scene. In fact Pluto had all but assured the Inner Scouts that their battling days were more or less over until the founding of Crystal Tokyo in just over a century's time. In fact it was mainly Uranus and Neptune who handled the foes these days, both having more free time on their hands than the Inners who were struggling through college selection procedures and final exams. The Inners were severely out of practice and it most certainly showed. As the blue-haired senshi of water touched down beside her friends she gave a little shudder at their condition.

Venus was clearly exhausted (having been fighting the longest) and was only standing due to the support of her sister senshi, Jupiter. Jupiter and Mars were both bleeding from multiple slash wounds, their fukus torn in places, dirt, grit and sweat marring their faces. Mars was only just lowering her hand from her latest attack and it seemed she wobbled slightly as she did so. And Moon... Moon had taken the worst beating of all. Tears stung Ami's eyes as she gazed at her best friend, her once porcelain skin now marred by three gruesome gashes that had opened the right-hand side of her cheek. The wound was horrible to behold and it was slowly knitting together but despite the pain, Moon was standing her ground in a position just in front of her guardians, one arm out protectively to shield her friends, the other extended with moon scepter in hand. Ami quickly whipped out her mercury computer, the visor flickering into place before her eyes and scanned the battlefield. With her eyes roving through the multitude of data displays she set to gathering every detail she could, concentrating every bit of her brilliant intellect on the monster in question before her as it finally came into view for the first time. A gasp of horror tore itself from her throat unbidden...

* * *

Himiko swerved the ambulance to avoid a neon green toyota whose owner had just decided that puling out in front of a speeding vehicle was a good idea and cursed for good measure. This was their second run to the emergency room that night and this time it was even worse than the blond kid. Yoshiro was occupied by keeping the oxygen bottle to the injured woman's mouth, filling her lungs with air at regular intervals and Maki was monitoring her vitals. A monster was steadily tearing apart the West Juuban Mall and, despite the senshi being on the scene, civilian casualties were a given with the level of destruction being wrought. This woman was in particularly bad shape, her arms and legs having suffered severe lacerations from falling glass. She was in shock and seemed to be having difficulty breathing. 'Maybe a couple of cracked ribs', Himiko thought as she sighted the hospital and pulled onto the approach.

Neither she nor her co-workers could have been prepared for what happened next. The woman convulsed, her eyes rolling wildly in their sockets as she began to choke violently. Maki abandoned her position to grab the woman's arms but it was no use. Lurching upright the lady flailed with her right arm, smacking Yoshiro away with surprising strength and knocking him to the floor of the vehicle. Reaching up jerkily, as if fighting the movement, a well manicured hand tore the breather mask away from her face and the woman opened her mouth in a silent scream as a dense cloud of golden mist forcibly ejected itself from her throat. It swiftly filled the inside of the ambulance, saturating the air and choking the occupants. Yoshiro was the first to go, wailing as he clutched his chest in pain, more of the mist forcing itself on him, pushing painfully past it's lips, suffocating him until he eventually passed out. Maki fared no better though she certainly put up more of a struggle than her partner before she joined him on the floor, eyes wide open and glazed, unseeing.

Himiko was screaming hysterically by this time, tears running down her cheeks. The small panel of glass raised between her and the patient bay had so far kept the mysterious dust at bay and in blind panic her body was running on autopilot. She came to her senses as a sharp crack caused her only protection to spiderweb crazily, holding up but barely against an assault on the the other side. Crying all the harder, throat raw from shrieking she slowed and stopped, tearing from the vehicle towards the neon light of her salvation. She was so close, nearly at the hospital gates, when she felt the sharp pain at the base of her skull. As everything went black she felt herself lifted roughly from the ground and then a crushing pain to her chest. Then nothing but a high-pitched maddened laughter, her own …

* * *

Dr Mizuno listened open-mouthed as her latest patient spun a tale of adventure, drama and intrigue so intense and captivating that it would make even the most talented manga author weep. She had taken a seat as soon as Naruto had indicated that it was a long story but never had she expected this. Instead of some sob story about bad life choices and abusive parents, she was being treated to the tale that would make any psychiatrist's career. She had heard from a colleague over in the Nerima district of a boy who believed he was an honest-to-god samurai but at least that boy believed he was of this world.

Naruto seemed convinced he was some kind of inter-dimensional traveller. Not only that but an inter-dimensional traveller from a world of assassins. She had been right to refuse Ami entry to the room and it was beginning to make her very nervous to think that she was here alone within arms reach of a a person whose insanity was no longer even a doubt in her mind but a certainty.

* * *

Now it should be said in Dr. Mizuno's defense that she had seen a lot of weird going's on in the Juuban district since moving to her current practice a little over seventeen years ago. Monsters, possessions and even some of the very-hard-to-explain-logically attacks utilized by the Ward's sailor-suited defenders, but Naruto was not holding anything back in his explanations to the his first inter-dimensional friend. In fact he was rather flattered by the intense way she looked at him and took notes as he came to the crucial points of his life that had made him the man he was today.

* * *

What staggered out of the haze was nothing short of a nightmare. Ami could see at once why the Inners had been having such trouble. Their opponent was a little girl about 6 or 7 years old, her pretty summer dress was frayed and charred by the senshi's attacks and her cute little pigtails were smouldering slightly from one of Sailor Mar's warning shots. She was most certainly human but all along her right side there seemed to be latched some kind of demonic parasite, warping her form into something monstrous and unnatural. She was hunched over like some sort of animal, her entire right arm encased in a dusty yellow substance that was covered with deep blue spiralling patterns. The right arm was swollen grossly out of proportion with the rest of her petite body and, with five wicked claws topping off the mighty appendage, The same substance had latched itself to her chest and back and seemed to be slowly, ever so slowly, expanding to cover more of it's host. What was most scary of all was her face. On her left it was calm, peaceful even, her eye closed, the muscles relaxed. The right the substance had pulled the features into a psychotic, demonic leer. One golden eye spun wildly in its so socket, the cornea as black as night.

Mercury turned to Moon helplessly as her monarch shuddered noticably.

"Moon are you alright"

"I'm fine but the girl Ami...nothing I do seems to help her."

Moon, Ami noticed did not once take her eyes off the child, eyes that shone with pain and fear as she continued.

"We can't hurt her Ami, she possessed by that thing but my Moon Healing Escalation attack doesn't seem to be any help at all"

At this point Usagi Tsukino aka Sailor Moon's bottom lip started to quiver and tears sprung to her crystal blue eyes.

"Things are different now meatball-head" piped up, Rei Hino aka Sailor Mars as she joined the conversation, "Ami can scan for the things weakness with the Mercury computer while we keep it busy."

At Rei's blunt word's the senshi's leader and sovereign seemed to perk up noticeably and looked at Ami for confirmation. Ami nodded decisively, catching Rei's worried glance at their leader. Usagi was a great warrior and an even better friend but Ami knew how much Rei worried about the Moon princess. The two had become even closer since the incident with Chaos and the raven-haired senshi of fire took her duties as Usagi's guardian very seriously.

"Yeah Usagi, we'll have this fight wrapped up in no time" chimed in up Makoto Kino, the senshi of Jupiter and Minako added her support, punctuating her friend's statement by weakly nodding.

"You guys...", Usagi sobbed while smiling.

A shrieking high pitched laugh returned all of them the the problem of the moment, i.e. the demon possessed infant who had begun to totted towards them before breaking into a lurching run.

"Moon Tiara Action"

"Sparkling Wide Pressure"

"Fire Soul"

The senshi launched their attacks before scattering, Minako sticking with Ami to provide her with support whilst Ami began to unleash the strongest weapon in her arsenal: her mind. While she and the other senshi had been talking, the Mercury computer had been hard at work calculating and correlating data about their newest foe. Ami frowned as the information began to scroll across her visor. Minako, still woozy from the earlier fight, turned her gaze from watching Mars leap to dodge yet vicious attack by that deadly arm to look at Ami and decided she did not like the look on her face on bit.

"What's wrong?"

"Something about this really isn't right", Ami said worriedly, "The child's vitals are stable and calm"

Minako winced as Moon blocked a blow with her scepter only to get blown back through a shop window and Jupiter's latest lightning attack ricocheted off the yellow armor causing no damage.

"That doesn't make any sense Ami, the girl's running around like she's hocked up on steroids"

Ami nodded, her eyes narrowed, "That's what I don't understand. It's almost like the girl is asleep and I can't detect any form of energy at work here at all. I have the computer running a comparison scan on all known frequencies it it's database but that's going to take some time"

"Umm I don't want to rush you Ami", said Minako drawing Ami's attention's away from her screen to the sight of Rei slowly being crushed by the child's massive claw, Makoto on her knees struggling to stand and Usagi nowhere to be seen, "But time is the one thing we really _don't _have right now"

"Help them", said Ami firmly, her fear for all of her friend's safety causing her stomach to roil with queasiness.

Minako nodded and leapt into the fray

Ami growled under her breath, her usual calm exterior cracking slightly as she sought for something, anything, that would help her protect those precious to her. An analysis of the enemies composition popped up before her eyes as the scan completed itself and she greedliy scrolled through the findings.

"Wha... silica... sand?"

* * *

It was pandemonium.

Patients and staff screamed and ran from the waiting room as the four abominations tore into the building, golden eyes roving crazily in every direction as they plowed onwards through the maze of corridors. They knew what they were looking for, their herald, their perfect Avatar and he was here, they were sure of it. Soon they would be whole again and could be done with the useless meat puppets they were currently manipulating. Then they would feed. Then they would receive the sacrifices that had been denied them so long. Then they would reclaim what was rightfully theirs and reclaim what had been lost. Stolen from them. There would need to be a reckoning. They would have to make an example of those who had dared restrain them so long. They would feel the blood again... touch it... taste it. They screamed with laughter at the thought. A sick burbling, demented cackle that echoed through the emptying hallways. Yesss... there would be blood.

* * *

"And so my mum used some freaky technique of my dad's and before I'm waking up in this room, in a place I've never seen before and …."

Naruto trailed off as his chakra senses began to pick up on something subtly wrong in the air.. After his training with sage-mode he had noticed that his chakra-sensor skills had begun to develop way beyond the norm, even when not accessing the intoxicating power of natural energy. Now those skills were manifesting themselves as he unconsciously began to pick up on the rising levels of spiritual energy in the building. It was like a very weak static electric charge was rolling all over his skin. Slowly his sharp hearing began to detect the sound of muffled screams accompanied by crashes, bangs and splintering noises that were getting louder and louder as if the perpetrators of the ruckus were steadily drawing nearer.

His new-found friend was saying something but to Naruto, his whole being focused and centered on the approaching danger, the sound of her voice was all he heard, the words themselves mumbling and nonsensical.

'No time to gather natural energy and with the Kyuubi out of the picture and no time to train with it's powers...", thought Naruto as he rubbed his chin. He screwed up his eyes shut in a manner that just served to make him look more mischievous rather than wise as the mulled over his options. Suddenly his eyes snapped open as he felt one of the evil presences arriving outside the door to the room and realised he was out of time. He gave a feral grin.

'Guess we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way!'

He lashed out quickly and grabbed the doctor as she rose beside him, keeping her at his side where she would be safe. He narrowed his gaze on the door as his muscles coiled and he gathered his power to him. Chakra flooded his system, flowing naturally and without obstruction. It seemed taming the fox had solved his little chakra-control problem. He growled a little in frustration. Now he would have to re-evaluate his repertoire of techniques and if necessary train with them from scratch. 'Something to worry about later', he thought.

There was a knock at the door.

* * *

"I thank you for telling me all of this Naruto but I really think we should try to make some time for you to speak with a friend of mine. She is a really good listener and may be able to help you with some of your...problems." Dr. Mizuno, by this point truly believed that the poor boy in front of her was beyond her realm of expertise. It would be a kindness to sedate him until he could get the help he needed, until then there was nothing she could do but keep him company and wait for a nurse to arrive with medication.

'He really believe everything he's been telling me", she thought, "the demons are probably something he dreamed up to provide a legitimate reason for whatever abuse he suffered and his missions and supposed profession could point to some sort of unfulfilled childhood ambition but there is not a shred of doubt or hesitation at all in his voice at all..."

Looking up from her notebook she heard some distant thumps and crashes but disregarded them easily. Probably just some clumsy nurse who knocked over a supply trolly or something. She turned her attention back to Naruto and was disturbed to find a predatory grin plastered to her features. She got up very carefully from her seat beside his bedside and sent the boy a calm smile for good measure. Below the surface she was a mess of tangled nerves, what if he got violent. Would he attack her? Would he attack Ami? Ami!

" I'll just go and get you some more medicine", she heard herself say but was shocked by the feeling of a sudden vice-like pressure around her wrist. She looked down to see that Naruto had managed to grab her as she stood up! She must have strayed into range by mistake as she rose from her seat! He was much stronger than her looked, she noted, much stronger than he should be for a young teen. She tried to pull her hand away gently but was reward for her efforts by a warning glare. It was then she noted that Naruto's attention was focused solely on the door to the room. Her wrist was getting warm, she noted feeling light-headed with fear, her mind seeking to distract her from the nightmare situation she found herself in. It was almost like Naruto was running a temperature that was growing in intensity by the minute, When he growled she shivered.

But then there was a knock at the door and she froze with terror.

"Ami!", Saeko shrieked, finding her voice and in fear for her child's life she found the strength to wrench from her captor. She didn't hear his cries to stop. She didn't see the fear cross the blond ninja's face as he leapt from his bed. Her wrist stung and her eyes were blurred with tears but she didn't care. All her attention was devoted to thoughts of her baby, her Ami and the psychopath she had just escaped. She crossed the room at with a speed she didn't even realise she had and made a desperate grab the for the doorhandle.

The door exploded from its hinges, torn in half by a great dusty-coloured claw.

Dr. Mizuno stared dumbly as a creature resembling a deformed Himiko prowled forward into the room and glared down at her with one malevolent golden orb. A leering scowl twisted the once beautiful ambulance driver's features and a trail of drool ran down the slack, left-hand side of her chin. The right-side of Himiko's mouth opened and an insane howl of glee tore from her unwilling throat. Saeko saw things in slow motion as the...thing raised it's powerful claw and swiped at her, intending to eviscerate her and leave her dying in a pool of her own blood. But it was as if it was happening to someone else. All she could think about was Ami. Her first steps, the first little curl of blue hair she had cut as a keepsake and hidden in her bedside table, the day her husband had left and she had fallen asleep crying and Ami had crept into her bed to calm her down. How she would never see Ami become a doctor, to grow up and have kids of her own...

Saeko closed her eyes as her end drew near and wept for what might have been.

Blood... there would be blood.

* * *

Author's note: A quick message to say sorry. This is not a Naruto-centric chapter by any means but it did need to be written. I have a job interview to prepare for so don't expect anything for another couple of days but please write a review if you like the story or have any ideas/questions to get off your chest. No spoilers but I will answer what I can.


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